Bloodied but Unbowed - My first bike ride!

12-24-2006, 10:25 AM

My Trek and I went for a ride today. Other than practice in Bikesport's
parking lot, this was my first real ride. It took me about ten minutes
to get underway, and at first I could stay balanced for only a few feet
at a time. The length of time I could spend underway grew, however, and
by the end of my ride I could travel several hundred feet without
stopping.

I'm still far from saying I'm in control of my bike, however. A 275
pound guy isn't going to be very stable under the best of
circumstances. Add in his newness on a bike, hills on the route, and
the high winds today and you are courting problems. And on the homeward
leg, I ran into one. Or almost; I missed the mailbox, but in missing it
I took a spill. Fortunately I was wearing jeans and lifting gloves, so
I escaped with only a scraped and bruised left knee. I seem to be OK.
The chain came off the bike in the spill, so I walked it home. It's
fixed now, but I'm done with riding for today. :-)

My total riding time was about an hour, including the time spent
walking the bike back home. Total distance covered, excluding the
walking, was about 1.5 miles.

Neil

12-24-2006, 11:38 AM

Good job; keep it up Neil! I hope you have fun.
Ted.

12-24-2006, 11:40 AM

The Historian wrote:
> My Trek and I went for a ride today. Other than practice in Bikesport's
> parking lot, this was my first real ride. It took me about ten minutes
> to get underway, and at first I could stay balanced for only a few feet
> at a time. The length of time I could spend underway grew, however, and
> by the end of my ride I could travel several hundred feet without
> stopping.
>
> I'm still far from saying I'm in control of my bike, however. A 275
> pound guy isn't going to be very stable under the best of
> circumstances. Add in his newness on a bike, hills on the route, and
> the high winds today and you are courting problems. And on the homeward
> leg, I ran into one. Or almost; I missed the mailbox, but in missing it
> I took a spill. Fortunately I was wearing jeans and lifting gloves, so
> I escaped with only a scraped and bruised left knee. I seem to be OK.
> The chain came off the bike in the spill, so I walked it home. It's
> fixed now, but I'm done with riding for today. :-)
>
> My total riding time was about an hour, including the time spent
> walking the bike back home. Total distance covered, excluding the
> walking, was about 1.5 miles.
>
> Neil
>

Good for you !! May you have many, many more miles of riding enjoyment
in the year(s) ahead.

Stick with it, and a Merry Christmas / Happy New Year :-)

12-24-2006, 11:45 AM

Ted wrote:
> Good job; keep it up Neil! I hope you have fun.
> Ted.

I will, as long as I continue to miss hitting mailboxes. That was a
close one today!

12-24-2006, 12:01 PM

The Historian wrote:
> My Trek and I went for a ride today. Other than practice in Bikesport's
> parking lot, this was my first real ride. It took me about ten minutes
> to get underway, and at first I could stay balanced for only a few feet
> at a time. The length of time I could spend underway grew, however, and
> by the end of my ride I could travel several hundred feet without
> stopping.
>
> I'm still far from saying I'm in control of my bike, however. A 275
> pound guy isn't going to be very stable under the best of
> circumstances.
> Neil

Nonsense, I see big guys on hybrids on my local bike trail all the
time, zooming along. Ya just need to get your "sea legs" is all. If
forget if you mentioned when you last rode, but if it's been years and
years, then you have to relearn a bit. I got my mother bike on a bike
last year, and she was pretty wobbly at first, and she's a svelte 135#.

Relax, you'll get the hang of it. Best part is that you're riding on
top of two big gyroscopes. :-P

Good luck!

12-24-2006, 12:14 PM

landotter wrote:
> The Historian wrote:
> > My Trek and I went for a ride today. Other than practice in Bikesport's
> > parking lot, this was my first real ride. It took me about ten minutes
> > to get underway, and at first I could stay balanced for only a few feet
> > at a time. The length of time I could spend underway grew, however, and
> > by the end of my ride I could travel several hundred feet without
> > stopping.
> >
> > I'm still far from saying I'm in control of my bike, however. A 275
> > pound guy isn't going to be very stable under the best of
> > circumstances.
> > Neil
>
> Nonsense, I see big guys on hybrids on my local bike trail all the
> time, zooming along. Ya just need to get your "sea legs" is all. If
> forget if you mentioned when you last rode, but if it's been years and
> years,

31. And I wasn't very good at it then. If I had been, I would have kept
up with it.

then you have to relearn a bit. I got my mother bike on a bike
> last year, and she was pretty wobbly at first, and she's a svelte 135#.
>
> Relax, you'll get the hang of it. Best part is that you're riding on
> top of two big gyroscopes. :-P
>
> Good luck!

Any advice for avoiding mailboxes? The spill came about because I was
trying to avoid one when I lost control of the bike. Perhaps I am
riding too close to the shoulder?

12-24-2006, 12:28 PM

The Historian wrote:

>
> Any advice for avoiding mailboxes? The spill came about because I was
> trying to avoid one when I lost control of the bike. Perhaps I am
> riding too close to the shoulder?

LOL, I've never been one to have problems with mail boxes. I could be
"crow syndrome" and you're secretly drawn to the mailbox. Bikes are
just like motorcycles, that in a sense, you just need to look where ya
want to go and your body will point the bike there. I see this a lot
with younger kids on my local trails, they'll be headed towards me
riding great with their parents, then catch eye of me in my cycling get
up and by staring at me, they'll end up riding right into my path. I
don't wear anything flamboyant to get their attention, honest.

Anyway, if you're getting intimate with mailboxes, but the street's not
busy, by all means ride in the lane. I'd say ride where your right
wheel would be with a car. Act like the vehicle that you are, powered
or not, and you might feel the confidence affect your balance a bit.

12-24-2006, 12:29 PM

The Historian wrote:
> My Trek and I went for a ride today. Other than practice in Bikesport's
> parking lot, this was my first real ride. It took me about ten minutes
> to get underway, and at first I could stay balanced for only a few feet
> at a time. The length of time I could spend underway grew, however, and
> by the end of my ride I could travel several hundred feet without
> stopping.
>
> I'm still far from saying I'm in control of my bike, however. A 275
> pound guy isn't going to be very stable under the best of
> circumstances. Add in his newness on a bike, hills on the route, and
> the high winds today and you are courting problems. And on the homeward
> leg, I ran into one. Or almost; I missed the mailbox, but in missing it
> I took a spill. Fortunately I was wearing jeans and lifting gloves, so
> I escaped with only a scraped and bruised left knee. I seem to be OK.
> The chain came off the bike in the spill, so I walked it home. It's
> fixed now, but I'm done with riding for today. :-)
>
> My total riding time was about an hour, including the time spent
> walking the bike back home. Total distance covered, excluding the
> walking, was about 1.5 miles.
>
> Neil
>
Congratulations! You've made a start. Keep at it and you'll be OK.

I fell over on my first trip out because I couldn't get my feet out of
the toe straps when I stopped. Truly embarrassing.

EJ in NJ

12-24-2006, 12:51 PM

landotter wrote:
> The Historian wrote:
>
> >
> > Any advice for avoiding mailboxes? The spill came about because I was
> > trying to avoid one when I lost control of the bike. Perhaps I am
> > riding too close to the shoulder?
>
> LOL, I've never been one to have problems with mail boxes. It could be
> "crow syndrome" and you're secretly drawn to the mailbox.

I hope not.

Bikes are
> just like motorcycles, that in a sense, you just need to look where ya
> want to go and your body will point the bike there.

That is probably the source of my problem. I am so afraid of falling in
the street that I was keeping too close to the side of the road. As a
result, I noticed I was very close to the large mailbox, and so steered
towards it. I swerved, missed the box, but spilled instead.

I see this a lot
> with younger kids on my local trails, they'll be headed towards me
> riding great with their parents, then catch eye of me in my cycling get
> up and by staring at me, they'll end up riding right into my path. I
> don't wear anything flamboyant to get their attention, honest.

Pity. One reason I am taking up biking is to stand out. The jersey I
ordered from Nashbar is probably visible from space.

> Anyway, if you're getting intimate with mailboxes, but the street's not
> busy, by all means ride in the lane. I'd say ride where your right
> wheel would be with a car. Act like the vehicle that you are, powered
> or not, and you might feel the confidence affect your balance a bit.

Thanks. Confidence is something I lack.

12-24-2006, 03:41 PM

"The Historian" wrote: Any advice for avoiding mailboxes? The spill came
about because I was
> trying to avoid one when I lost control of the bike. Perhaps I am riding
> too close to the shoulder?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I am sure you could easily walk the full length of a 2x6 that's lying on the
ground, but try to do this on one that is resting on two saw horses.
Nervousness makes a huge difference. I suggest you find an empty parking
lot, where you can ride without worrying about mailboxes, curbs or other
people. Just ride. You will get so the bike becomes a part of you, and it
will be just like walking. Set up little challenges for yourself, like a
couple of cardboard boxes to ride between. You will soon be able to ride in
traffic and everything--that's when you are in danger of becoming over
confident, so be careful.
>